So, finding out if you have the sleep disorder beforehand — and seeking treatment — could boost your odds for good recovery from surgery, researchers say.

The two post-op complications are blood clots in the veins and an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, according to two new studies.

These problems occurred more often among surgical patients who had not yet been diagnosed — and therefore weren’t treated — with sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by repeated breathing disruptions during sleep. Symptoms include excessive daytime sleepiness, restless sleep and loud snoring — often with periods of silence followed by gasps.

More than half of surgery patients who have sleep apnea don’t know it, the authors of one new study said. Identifying these patients ahead of time might spare them serious post-op complications, the findings suggest.

The study, published in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, tracked 50 patients with both OSA and uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes. Some were asked to use CPAP masks, while the others were not.

After six months, the researchers found CPAP users had lower levels of insulin resistance and hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels — key markers of diabetes — than nonusers. In addition, the CPAP group had fewer inflammatory proteins and other biomarkers associated with Type 2 diabetes blood sugar control.

We get that question often. “I sleep on stomach with face buried in a pillow. How can I use CPAP?” I reassure them that we do have quite a few patients, who use CPAP religiously despite their habit of sleeping prone.

We also remind them that the CPAP masks and cannula are stiff enough that the weight of your head will not cause collapse and obstruction to airflow. Most patients do however prefer a nasal cannula as opposed to a mask as the later can be difficult to sleep with the face down.

Our patients find this Nuance interface easy to sleep face down.

You may also find the ResMed interface shown below comfortable.

Air Fit P10 can also work even if you sleep face down in the pillow.

These interfaces work the best provided you do not have nasal allergies leading to nasal obstruction, in which case allergy skin testing followed by allergen avoidance, allergy medication, and allergy shots can help.

What if I breathe through the mouth? Well, we can prescribe a chin strap to keep your mouth closed during sleep.

You are overwhelmed though. You are anxious if you will be able to sleep soundly with CPAP. You are wondering if you should choose a nasal mask, or a full facemask, or just a tiny tiny nasal cannula to connect to your CPAP machine.

The choice depends on several factors.

If you are a mouth breather, a full facemask may work better. The Amara full-face mask from Philips Respironics is a popular choice of my patients. It is lighter, smaller, and has significantly fewer parts than leading traditional full-face masks. In fact, it requires just a single click to disassemble and reassemble the cushion and the mask frame for quick cleaning and replacement.

If you breath through your nose, a small mask that just covers your nose would work well. The picture below is of an Airfit N10 mask from ResMed. My patients prefer this because of its cushion that fits comfortably on the face and the SoftEdge™ headgear, which minimizes facial marks.

If you suffer from are claustrophobia, a nasal cannula may work better. The picture below shows an AirFit P10 from Respironics.

If your mouth opens up during sleep, you can always add a chin strap to your nasal mask or cannula.

Whether you choose a nasal mask, or a full facemask or a cannula, remember to try several different sizes and shapes of that nasal interface. You may end up changing it over first several months until you find one that feels most comfortable.

My patients often complain that the CPAP is making their mouth dry, sometimes to a severe degree such that they can not keep the CPAP on all-night long. These are the suggestions I have given to them over last 20 years of my practice.

1. Treat nasal congestion. Dry mouth occurs when you breathe through the mouth as your nose gets plugged up at night because of dust, mold, pets, or food allergies. Get checked out and treated for these allergies.

2. Check the side effects of your medications. Nasal decongestants, several types of blood pressure medicines, and antidepressants can cause dry mouth. Talk to your pharmacist and doctor to see if you can switch these medications or at least take them in the morning.

3. Use the humidifier attachment of CPAP. Dial up the setting on the humidifier of your CPAP machine. If you still suffer from dryness, you can also place an extra humidifier next to the bed.

4. Try nasal pillows. Patients sometimes can reduce this dryness by using nasal pillows instead of a full face mask. You can add a chin strap if you are a mouth-breather.

5. Use nasal saline spray frequently. This is an over-the-counter product without any medicine in it, but is of great use as it not only moisturizes the nasal lining but also washes away the allergens and irritants. Keep the spray always on the nightstand. Use a couple of sprays in each nostril at bedtime and in the morning. You can use it when you wake up at night to use the restroom.

6. Consult an ENT specialist. This can help if you suffer from nasal obstruction because of a deviated septum or nasal polyps. Nasal obstruction will make you a mouth-breather, which in turn would make your mouth dry.

CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is the most effective therapy for a serious disease called Obstructive Sleep Apnea, but it is feared by a significant percentage of my patients. Here is a brief video clip aimed at alleviating that fear and dislike so that you spend enough time in deeper stages of sleep, and you wake up with lasting energy and alertness.

“The prevalence of sleep apnea in patients with resistant [high blood pressure] is very high,” said lead researcher Dr. Miguel-Angel Martinez-Garcia, from the Polytechnic University Hospital in Valencia.

Patients with resistant high blood pressure should undergo a sleep study to rule out obstructive sleep apnea, Martinez-Garcia said. “If the patient has sleep apnea, he should be treated with CPAP and undergo blood pressure monitoring.”

The report, published in the Dec. 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, was partly funded by Philips-Respironics, maker of the CPAP system used in the study.

The CPAP system consists of a motor that pushes air through a tube connected to a mask that fits over the patient’s mouth and nose. The device keeps the airway from closing, and thus allows continuous sleep.

Sleep apnea is a common disorder. The pauses in breathing that patients experience can last from a few seconds to minutes and they can occur 30 times or more an hour.